Tennis Ball Compression Test

Solution

• Custom-engineered automated testing system.
• Integrated functions for weighing, positioning, testing, and result generation.
• Fully software-controlled operation.

Benefits

• Comprehensive testing aligned with international standards.
• Complete automation eliminates operator dependency.
• High consistency and repeatability across test cycles.

Requirement

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) required a modern replacement for its legacy ‘Stevens’ testing equipment used to measure the compressive force characteristics of tennis balls. The objective was to develop a fully automated system capable of handling multiple samples with minimal manual intervention.

A key requirement was the ability to precondition each ball through a controlled “scragging” process before testing, ensuring uniformity and compliance with official test procedures. The system also needed to deliver reliable, repeatable results suitable for certification and quality validation.

Solution

A fully automated testing station was developed, incorporating a pneumatic pick-and-place mechanism for efficient sample handling. Each ball is first positioned and pre-conditioned before undergoing compression testing.

The sequence of operation of the test requires loading of the ball in a controlled manner through compressing the ball to the desired displacement and recording the force at that point. The ball is then turned step by step by a certain angle, usually 90 degrees, in order to retest the accuracy of the ball in different positions, so that the whole consistency of the structure of the ball can be evaluated.

Once all the necessary axes have been tested, the ball is automatically recycled in a carousel system, and it can be processed repeatedly in a batch. All these sequences are controlled by a complex control software, which coordinates the testing processes with the pneumatic handling system to allow high accuracy and synchronization of timing.

The program records the force-displacement and provides a pass/fail analysis with the help of established criteria and statistical reports to evaluate the quality. This approach will be in place of the well-known international testing protocols of tennis balls' performance.

Test Equipment

• Automated force testing system based on a MultiTest platform
• 1000 N cell
• Pneumatic pick-and-place testing station

Test Standards

• ITF TB 03/01 – Approved Tennis Balls: Deformation Test Method